For years, people have asked why downtown San Jose’s skyline is so … diminutive. This month, the city made a big decision that will finally allow its downtown to grow upward: Changing flight paths at Mineta San Jose Airport will allow taller buildings — meaning more jobs and housing near transit.

SPUR has been advocating for comprehensive, visionary and ambitious Downtown Oakland Specific Plan ever since we published our Downtown for Everyone report in 2015. After many years of work, the City of Oakland has released a preliminary draft of that plan. SPUR offers suggestions to help realize a vision and strategy for building a true downtown for everyone.

In her first address to the SPUR Board of Directors and staff, incoming President and CEO Alicia John-Baptiste shared her vision for the next era of SPUR's growth as an organization and how we can create sustainable change by expanding what people believe is possible.

The success of e-scooters and other micro-mobility vehicles has created challenges over safety and the allocation of street and sidewalk space. As cities look for ways to better balance their rise, new regulations should focus on four objectives that will promote their use while keeping cities safe and welcoming for everyone.